Death of a Coffee Cup
by reenactor43
Summary: A hidden sniper. One shot, one casualty. Gibbs' coffee. There WILL be HELL to pay for this. Enjoy. Disclaimer inside.
1. The Trap

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or any character therein. Just the idea, which is based on a scene in the novel _March Toward the Thunder_, by Joseph Bruchac. I recommend it to you readers, if you are interested in historical fiction.**

**Death of the Coffee**

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS, and his team had just pulled up to a crime scene. Little did they know, it was a fake. There was no body, no victim in the Navy or Marine Corps. Only someone who wanted to make Gibbs pay. Eli David sighted his target carefully, the reticle dancing from one potential target to another. Finally, he came to what was to be the victim of his deadly projectile. He fired one shot, then immediately broke his rifle down and made his escape.

* * *

As Gibbs' team checked the area for why they were called out, Gibbs scanned the horizon. His gut was telling him something, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Tony DiNozzo finally spoke up.

"Boss, I can't find anything that would require us to be here."

"Nor I." _'David.'_

"Yeah, boss, there's nothing here." _'McGee.'_

"So the question becomes..."

"Who wanted us here?"

"And why?" Then a shot rings out. The team finds cover behind assorted vehicles. Gibbs now knows why his gut was acting up.

'A trap. It was a d^*# trap.' Gibbs calls out:"Anybody hit?"

Three separate negatives give some relief, then something hits him: He couldn't feel the coffee cup in his hand. He looks down and notices that the cup is not in his hand. He looks around and finally sees the cup, lying woefully on the dirt road, slowly leaking caffeine through the hole about halfway up the container.

"Boss, you hit?"

"No, DiNozzo. But somebody is going to die before this case is through." Tony looks over and sees the coffee cup in the road, bullet hole in the middle, and sighs.

"What kind of a world are we living in when a man can't even drink his coffee in peace without having to worry about snipers shooting it out of his hand?"

"Oh, they're going to pay for this one."

"Ya think, McGee? All three of you, go find that sniper or their perch." Three words are all that need to be spoken.

"On it, Boss."


	2. A Shooter's Identity

**A Sniper's Motivation**

**Thanks to Meilea2010, honeydust9251, hotchner, SherryGabs, Gail Cregg, and LittleHogwartsGirl for your reviews. To honeydust9521, what you referred to was supposed to be read as two separate words. Hope that clears that up for you. If not, send something my way and we'll try to figure it out. Sorry about the wait.**

It hadn't taken long to collect evidence from the shooting. Eli hadn't policed his brass, and really hadn't wanted to. He wanted it to be known that he had shot at Agent Gibbs. Ballistics went to Abby, fingerprints analyzed, and what was known was discussed, along with what wasn't known.

"So, who do _you _think did it?"

"I do not know, Tony. Nor did I have a clue the last fifty times you asked me."

"Okay, strike one with Ziva. Probie! Any ideas?"

"Quite a few, actually."

"Really? Let's hear them."

"Well, as far as the actual shooter's identity, that, for right now, is a complete mystery. The fact that this person shot Gibbs' coffee out of his hands suggests that Gibbs did something to make this person vindictive, as he shot the one thing he cares about most, aside from, Abby, Ducky, or anyone here that he interacts with on a regular basis."

"So just about every suspect we ever encountered could have done it?"

"If they felt their motive was strong enough." Though the three agents really had no idea who or why, at least one of those questions was about to be answered.

"Where's Gibbs?"

"Coffee run."

"Aww. He needs to be here."

"What is it Abby?"

I think I know who took a shot at him. At least, who loaded the bullets in the gun. But that would be weird, to load the bullets in a gun, then let someone else shoot it. I guess if someone didn't want to get their hands dirty with it-"

"Abby, you're rambling. Who is it you think is the sniper?"

"Mossad." This came as a whisper. Ziva finds all eyes on her.

"Would this be considered an awkward moment?"

"Not really. We just want to know if you have any contacts left from your days in Tel Aviv. Contacts that aren't inside Mossad."

"Wait. Back up a second. Abby, why do you think the shooter is Mossad?"

"Give me that." Abby takes the remote and puts the fingerprint results on the plasma.

"Does that answer your question?"

"Eli David. I didn't know he had it in him to get involved like this."

"Why would he do that? Why would the director of Mossad want to take a shot at Gibbs?"

"Isn't that the question of the century, McSherlock?"

"You know, Tony, you finally did it."

"Did what Probie?"

"You made up a nickname for me that I actually like. Thanks. I'll be sure to remember that."

"Have you three got anything useful?"

"Does the shooter's identity count?" THWACK! "Sorry, Boss."

"Don't apologize, DiNozzo. Who's the shooter?"

"On the plasma, boss." Gibbs glimpses at the photograph on the plasma screen then turns to go see Director Vance. Gibbs characteristically barges into the director's office without knocking.

"Gibbs. To what do I owe this?"

"We have a problem."

"We as in?"

"NCIS as a whole. We got the fingerprint results from the casings. left by that shooter that left a trap for me and the team."

"I see. You're telling me this, because?"

"Eli David. His prints were on the casings."

"You're sure of this?"

"Do you know any time when Abby messed anything up?"

"Point taken. What do you want to do?"

"I want to find the b#?*!% and turn his brains into wallpaper, but that's just me being angry over the loss of my coffee cup."

"You know, you could have just gotten another one."

"And leave the last one half-empty? Are you out of your mind? I always finish a coffee cup before getting another one!"

"I see." Even though he really didn't, Director Vance went along with Gibbs' rant to avoid any damage to his office that he'd have to pay, like fist, door handle, or bullet holes in the walls.

"So, Agent Gibbs, do you have any ideas of where Director David could be right now?"

"No."

"Hmm. Well, let's see if Tel Aviv is able to give us any more information." Director Vance steps out from his office to the bullpen walks to MTAC, Gibbs following.

"McGee! MTAC!"

"On it, boss." McGee gets up and falls in line behind Gibbs. Once inside MTAC, McGee sets up at a station.

"Who do we need to talk to?"

"Tel Aviv." McGee sets up the conversation and soon, the Deputy Director of Mossad appears on screen.

"Gentlemen. What can I do for you?"

"You can start by telling us why your boss took a shot at one of our agents."

"Impossible. Director David has not left his office, or the country for that matter, in three days."

"Then how did his fingerprints get on shell casings from a shooting earlier today?"

"Are you certain that the prints are his?"

"Without a doubt."

"This is most troubling news. I assure you that I will, how you say, get to the bottom of this quickly."

"Please do. We'd like to know why your boss decided to threaten the relationship of our two countries."

"And I as well, Director. I will notify you of further developments."

"That's all we can ask for at this moment. Thank you." With that, the connection is terminated.

"Well, what do you tink?"

"I think we need to find David before they do."

"You think they'll try to get him out of the country?"

"Yep. Wouldn't you?"

"Maybe. If I felt like it." Gibbs walked out of MTAC, followed by McGee.

"Boss, what's our next move?"

"McGee, I thought you would have known already. We find Director David."


End file.
